The switch from soap operas to social media is one motivated by its success with previous social media campaigns -- such as its Old Spice Guy YouTube promotion -- and a desire to capitalize on the more readily available opportunities of reaching women through digital media.
Digital media has "become very integrated with how we operate, it's become part of the way we do marketing," marketing chief Marc Pritchard told the Associated Press. "It's kind of the oldest form of marketing — word of mouth — with the newest form of technology."
The company is an important advertiser that spends nearly $9 billion per year to advertise its products. The company is finding social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to be more effective channels for reaching women and has spent much of 2010 experimenting with campaigns in these arenas.
"We continue to advertise during daytime TV including soap operas as a way to reach consumers," a company spokesperson tells Mashable. "In our marketing approach we build our brands based on the appropriate integrated holistic marketing campaign that reaches the consumer when and where they are receptive. As consumers spend more time online and via social media networks, our brands are naturally adding these options to their marketing plans as it helps them engage and serve consumers."